Mizusashi / Shigaraki / Koyama Kiyoko
Shigaraki Mizusashi by Koyama Kiyoko
'Koyama takes Shigaraki clay as it comes from the ground, dries it in the sun and crushes it into small pieces with a wooden mallet. After mixing the clay with water and kneading it, she lets it temper for at least a year. Before forming it into pots, she wedges each batch four hundred times'--this was written in the 'Modern Japanese Ceramics in American Collections' exhibition catalog at the Japan Society, New York 1993. The intense process that Koyama undertakes to bring out the beauty of clay and her long two week firing process is quite evident on this masterpiece of a Shigaraki mizusashi. It's seven-sided and each side is unique with brilliant natural ash glaze(shizenyu) in shades of green at every turn. Feldspar stones burst out from under the glaze and edgy corners have been faceted. The base and the inner walls show the warmth of the orange 'clay flavor' and a wonderful pool of glaze is found inside. And what about the lid! It has very rare blue shizenyu and also 'clay flavor' on the underside. Signed Ki on base, with a signed box, Shigaraki Shizenyu Nanakaku Mizusashi, Kiyoko, the underside of the lid reads Showa 53 (1978) saku; in perfect condition, 17.8cm.tall and 20.0cm.across. More about Koyama in our archive listings
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
